“Socialism is not in the least what it pretends to be. It is not the pioneer of a better and finer world, but the spoiler of what thousands of years of civilization have created. It does not build, it destroys. For destruction is the essence of it. It produces nothing, it only consumes what the social order based on private ownership in the means of production has created.”

The thing that socialist Idealists either fail to recognize or just plain ignore is the FACT that if people are given the opportunity to live at someone else's expense...they will. And only the moral, ethical and proud will be left to produce...and when they realize that their efforts will bear them nothing... the system will collapse...as it always has. Independence, responibility for one's own existence and the freedom to pursue individual rights and goals is the ONLY natural order that works.

Replace "Socialism" with "Any form of government" and the statement is still true.

And heres another example of how socialism works: Illegal Aliens using an ITIN no. are filing taxes and getting refunds in the tens of thousands of dollars. How? They simply claim a tax credit for children...living in Mexico. LOTS of them. They take money from hard working honest people and "redistribute it"... And there you go...Socialism. Wonderul system hey?

The story itself: http://videos2view.net/tax-fraud.htm

Mathew you are right to an extent. However, our government as founded protected all of those things created as much as possible. Civilization can not exist in the real world with out government. Socialism can not exist in a free society. It can only destroy it.

Socialism is a forced ordering of society. A republican form of government does not aim for some Utopian ideal -- it is formed to protect the people from theft and assault. It does not make any promises of a share of the Treasury or rigging the game to favor a class. Social engineers can build pyramids indeed, but they steal the natural order of free people. There are infinite possibilities in life -- except the slave leaves those choices up to his master. Socialism is a consumerist society that eventually eats out its substance. A society of free individuals will produce and trade in balance with each other. One of the biggest threats to free trade is monopoly -- and socialism reveres bigness and thus easily in awe of monopoly -- they are not against monopoly, they want a share in it.

Communism is the left end of the socialism stick while fascism is the right. The only difference is administration. Communism owns everything in its own name while fascism utilizes corporations. That form of socialism that is now claiming a kinder / gentler form of slavery with a rationalization of democracy "is not in the least what it pretends to be." Socialism enforced by a moral reasoning is a theocracy of the pridefully ignorant. The occupying statist theocracy infesting this land with its religionist patrons enslaves the ahh, mmm, well - you just can't fix stupid.

Matthew, you are correct.

Coming from Mises this quote is understandable for Mises was uneducated in the world of reality and love. His theories are gradually crumbling and it's only the die-hard capitalist and libertarian that support his works.. Their saving grace would be to refocus their philosophical rhetoric to encompass a more compassionate and empathetic society. I'm sorry, but Mises and Rothbard are now not in focus with today's world. Mike, I couldn't agree with you more - you just can't fix stupid. The main socialist programs in American are for the military, and the corporate conglomerates who pay hardly any taxes. capitalism in America is gradually strangling it's own survival - it's a train heading for the end of the line at full speed. The ONLY true existence for any government that wishes to remain in power is to incorporate a more compassionate philosophy. It's not enough for individuals to say "Ah, but I give a lot" then why is America the worse country in the West for poverty 47% and healthcare. Why in America is the gap in salaries between corporate executives and the people the biggest (by far) than any western nation. We have the most expensive military in the world without any enemies on our borders. We talk of trillions and yesterday it was billions. We have the worst incarceration record for a so-called civilized nation. Our infrastructure is crumbling - our very social fabrication is on the verge of disintegration. If we continue with mediocrity and our present foreign policies then we are heading for Armageddon. We must STOP what we are doing, as what we are currently doing, is not working! The Mises philosophy is antiquated and a new era of society is called for - now all you great brains out there - do something about - don't stay on you computers writing gloss pros; get out there and roll up your sleeves - we need action now, not words!

Editor, I had commented after Robert immediately above. I checked about an hour after I originally wrote it and it was still there. It is now not here. Can you please check your end. Thanks Mike

Mike, the last post received from you was the 'rolling on the floor laughing' reply to Robert on the Frederic Bastiat quote page: http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/Frederic.Bastiat.Quote.95A6

Editor, thanks for checking - that is really weird. And by the way, I know you meant to address your last response to me, not Robert ;-) Thanks for all you do and have done over the years. I guess I just have to say hmmmm

Editor, P.S. That has been happening to me a lot. When I've been writing on other blogs or facebook, my posts either won't go through, vanish immediately or within an hour are gone without a trace. I'm sure I'm on somebody's list. (-; whata ya gunna do? ;-)

Robert, Somewhere in Europe - I know that it is to your utter dismay .. but, the U.S. has a constitution based thoroughly on a Limited Government Republic and foremost on the Unalienable Rights of the Individual not to have the fruits of their labor plundered by Socialist ideologues such as yourself.

Robert, Somewhere in Europe - Stay there because we don't want your Marxist views supplanted or substituted for this sovereign nation's U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights.
If you are an expatriated American now residing in Europe you will do every Constitutional Patriotic American a great big favor by forever remaining outside of the U.S. borders and not spewing your deleterious Marxist/Communist ideologies within the U.S.